.257 Weatherby, help me build it...

[CBRADGO]

I have decided that I need one, problem is, I can't decide which one to get for my first long range rig. I'd like to make this a budget rifle as much as I can, however, I know how costs can pile up. The 700 SPS, 700 LSS, Vanguard Deluxe, maybe even an Encore with an MGM barrel, I'm just overwhelmed and undecided. I think that a quarter bore Roy is a good starter gun as most of my long range opportunities will be for whitetails and inside 600 yards. A 338 Edge or Lapua might be a bit much for now and handloading isn't a viable option yet, gotta start small. Ammo for this gun is a seperate beast altogether that I'll tackle in the near future, just want to get it set up first.

Anyways, I'd also like some opinions on sub $800 scopes as well. The Nikon Monarch 4-16 x 50mm, Bushnell Elite 6500, Zeiss 4.5-14 x 50mm, Meopta Meostar R1, and the Leupold VX III 4.5-14 x 50mm were a few options I was considering.

As for mounts, I have the Leupold PRW rings and bases on my M70 7mm Rem Mag and have been extremely pleased with them but I am open to suggestions for those as well.

TIA for all your input and help, happy to be a part of the LRH community!

 

[esshup]

Have you looked at the sub-moa vanguards? I know that you might get a bit more velocity out of a MarkV due to the longer barrel (2"), but they sure are a bit less $$ than the MarkV.

 

[Buffalobob]

One thing that will help with ammo cost is to save the ammo boxes and put every fired case back into the original ammo box. You can then sell it as once fired brass to someone who reloads.

 

[CBRADGO]

I'd like to and will reload eventually but that's a suggestion I'd never thought of...

 

[Longshot38]

Very nice selection on the caliber. 257 weatherby is an outstanding round that is capable of taking a wide variety of game. If I were to build one on a budget. I would do this. Go get a Stevens 200 Long action with a magnum bolt face (who cares about caliber, it will be rebuilt anyway). Then rebarrel to 257 wby, change the stock to a manner of your liking, top it off with a Sightron SIII 6-24x50, and mount that scope on a good set of steel rings and 20 moa base. This will get you setup without breaking the bank. Think of it like this:

Stevens 200: $300 new
Barrel: ~$500 chambered and threaded thus it is ready to rock
Stock: ~$450
Sightron: $750
Rings and bases $~$120

 

[Southpaw]

I had a custom 257wby built about 20 years ago after being impressed by a friends factory wby. Mine is on a 700 rem action with a 28.5 in Shilen barrel fluted and glass bedded into a Brown Precision stock. I topped it with a Leupold 4.5x14x50. This rifle will put 3 rounds under a dime with factory 120BTs all day long if I drive it right. This is by far my favorite rifle to shoot, and I have a bunch to choose from. The next upgrade will getting turrets put on the scope for Mule Deer in Southern Utah this Oct.

I love the 257wby. Anything I've shot or seen shot by someone else has dropped right on the spot. One thing I can say for sure is it's hell on coyotes.


Southpaw

 

[mike33]

I have 2 of them myself awsome caliber.
Mike

 

[CBRADGO]

Had a good week at work, think I'm going with the 700 LSS instead of the SPS, still a slight toss up between it and the Weatherby though. It just felt too good for an out of the box gun when compared to the SPS and I could always sell that laminated stock if I wanted to.

 

[Nape.270]

I just bought the sps in .257 Wyb wating for my rings and base to come in and I cant seam to find anyone that has the sightron siii 6-24 in stock so i cant tell you how it shoots yet.

 

[Tom Brush]

I have two .257 Weatherby's. One is a Vanguard and the other is a Remington LSS. The cheapest way is to buy the standard Vanguard. Look at the test target before you buy and pick the one with the best target. I know that the test targets are shot in a slave stock at the factory but I have found that they show the potential of the barreled action. My Vanguard came with a .750 test target. It shot that with the recommended Weatherby 100 gr. ammo in the tupperware stock.

I have since installed a B & C stock with the aluminum bedding block. I originally planned to bed the action and free float the barrel but it shot the same Weatherby ammo into 1/2". I have shot one 3-shot group with the 115 Bergers and it was 1/2" I will be doing more testing with the Berger.

The second rifle is the Remington. It shot the Weatherby 100 gr. factory load into .750 It had a tendency to shoot two in one hole and the other off a little ways. I noticed that I could move the barrel sideways in the stock. It felt like there was a notch in the pressure pad at the tip. I am guessing that the barrel was moving sideways when fired. I put a shim under the receiver ring. This free floated the barrel. Two three shot groups with factory ammo produced two 1/4" groups. I am in the process of piller bedding the action and free floating the barrel.

Velocity between the Vanguard with a 24" barrel and the Remington with a 26" barrel is 50 fps.

The Vanguard costs $399. The B & C stock was $225. Total $624. The Remington was $789.

If you can look at several Vanguard's test targets and pick one that is .750 or better you can add the B & C Medalist stock and have a gun equal to the Sub-MOA with a better stock.

Vanguards have some very good test targets. My .270 WSM came with a test target of .389 It shoots around 1/2" in the tupperware stock.

Tom

 

[CBRADGO]

Great, now I am more confused than ever...

 

[TOM H]

Great, now I am more confused than ever...

Hard part is finding the action about 2 wks ago got a new 257Wby from the gunsmith. Use a Ruger M-77 action old tang safety was 7mag gunsmith order a new BC stock and 1/9 twist Shilen select match SS barrel #3 plan on using nothing lighter than 100gr bullets.

I had pretty good luck with a 300WBY no Wby freebore and headspace on the shoulder like a non belted case so had the gunsmith do the same thing to the 257Wby. Barrel was so marked. I had the action matte blue and matte SS on the barrel and barrel finished a 25" with 3.5x10 leupold scope rifle weights just under 9lbs.

The thing without the Wby freebore is you don't need as much powder to get those Wby velocity and your max load is pretty close to the start loads for the Wby and your cases last a long time. With 66gr/IMR-7828 115gr TSX @ 3436fps and it's a good load and with the Redding type S die I'm at 6 neck sizing on a case and looks like I may get to ten firing before I have to FL size.

 

[CBRADGO]

So does the Remington have the oft debated Weatherby free bore?

 

[CBRADGO]

And what about bullets? I see on Weatherby's website they now offer a factory loaded 80 gr Barnes TTSX. With the TSX's ability to hold together well and instant dirt nap reputation, would the 80 gr be too light for 200 - 250 lb MS whitetails? Without the ability to handload at the moment, I am dependent on factory ammo so I'd like to spend my $$$ wisely. I was considering the 110 gr Accubonds pretty heavily but now the TTSX has me kinda interested...